


Jones Family Secrets

by Four_Five_Still_Alive



Series: April & Casey (fourfivestillalive) [3]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-07-15 01:48:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 18,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16052930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Four_Five_Still_Alive/pseuds/Four_Five_Still_Alive
Summary: Casey Jones is a strange teenager, no doubt. But when April suddenly meets his family many things about Casey become clear. April finds herself suddenly thrown into Caseys world and there is no turning back.





	1. Chapter 1

 

“I’m not doing that!” Casey said defiantly to the school officer.

 

“Look kid, the gang activity in the area has your teachers spooked so everyone has to go through the metal detector before they go to class.”

 

“Fine! Then I’m skipping!”

 

“No you’re not!” April took his arm as he turned to leave.

 

“There is no gang activity! You caught the guy!”

 

The officer gave him a strange look while April elbowed him in the ribs for revealing their inside knowledge about Huns arrest.

 

“Casey come on, its no big deal…”

 

“Yes it is! I’m sick of stupid adults not trusting me!” He kicked the corner of the machine.

 

“Casey!”

 

It wasn’t unusual for Casey to have moments of rage like this, but she never thought a metal detector would set him off. It was usually things like opponents challenging him or questioning his ability. April looked into his eyes. His expression relaxed from one of anger to one of sadness. She let him go in surprise as he shoved his hands into his pockets and removed all of his metal items.

 

“Fine.” He said, his expression now an angry pout. “But its not going to work.”

 

“What are you talking about kid?” The officer asked suspiciously as he stepped through the machine.

 

A loud beep went off and the policeman ushered him back to the other side.

 

“I told you it wouldn’t work.”

 

“Remove all your-“

 

“You could strip me butt naked and this thing would still beep!” He shouted.

 

The officer looked at him quizzically.

 

“Go get my file…” Casey said exasperated. “Its in my medical records. I have a metal plate in my head.”

 

After a few moments a teacher returned from the office and confirmed.

 

“You’re free to go.” The officer said unsure how to treat him. “We will make a note of it in the future.”

 

Casey stepped through the machine again setting off the alarm with a horrible scowl on his face. April had merely been gaping at him the whole time. After he walked through he didn’t turn or wait for her. He just continued his long stride down the hall.

 

“Casey wait up!” She threw her book bag back over her shoulder and jogged to catch up with him. “Why didn’t you tell-?”

 

Casey reached his locker and threw his bag at it kicking and slamming his fists into the metal creating a dent in the door.

 

“Stop!” April shouted fearfully. “Casey just _talk_ to me!” She begged.

 

He turned to her grinding his teeth, full of rage, but after seeing her worried expression his softened.

 

“I don’t want to…” He turned back to his locker and leaned forward until his forehead was against it.

 

“Casey if you can’t talk to your girlfriend who _can_ you talk to?”

 

“I wasn’t supposed to _have_ to talk to anyone! Or tell anyone! Why does this have to happen _today?_ Some things are supposed to be PRIVATE!” He turned and shouted in the direction of the metal detector.

 

“Mr. Jones! Either control yourself or I’ll have to send you home for your conduct!”

 

“Fine! Then I’ll go ho-“

 

“He’s fine ma’m, he’s just not a morning person.” April stepped between him and the teacher.

 

The teacher looked suspiciously from her to Casey but then walked away.

 

“You…you don’t have to tell me about the plate Casey…” She said solemnly turning back to him. “But I hope that someday you will trust me enough to not keep things like that from me.”

 

She walked down the hall way towards her own locker, but Casey grabbed her by the wrist.

 

“I do trust you April. Thats not why I don’t want to tell you…”

 

“Then why?”

 

“Because of that look.”

 

“What look?”

 

“The one you’re giving me right now. Pity. I hate it. I just want to pretend like you never heard it.”

 

“If thats what you want…” she looked down at her feet. “I’ll try.”

 

He let her wrist go, watching her walk away.

 

“I’m sorry.” He said just loud enough for her to hear.

 

She didn’t turn to look at him, she only kept walking.

 


	2. Chapter 2

April scrolled through the images of misshapen skulls. A google search of “metal skull plate” had not yielded the results she expected. She knew for a fact that his head wasn’t missing a large portion like most of the pictures shown, but her research certainly wasn’t making her _feel_ any better. The more she read the more she wanted to cry. Casey must have been keeping this to himself for a long time. It certainly hadn’t happened while they knew each other.

 

Her eyes widened. His bandana. He alway wore it…Even when he had taken it off to cover the scar on his neck he had fussed with his bangs the whole time… What if he was hiding a scar? Why would he? He always brandished his scars to the world. To him they were trophies. He earned them. What made this one different? Why was this one taboo?

 

“Miss O’Neil?” Her computer teacher asked. “May I ask why you have tabs open detailing craniotomies and trepanation?”

 

“I-I just heard a story about them on TV the other day. I was curious…”

 

“While I admire your curiosity, class is no time to be looking up surgical procedures.” The class laughed as he exited her browser. “Please continue with your computer exercises.”

 

“Yes sir.” She said with a hollow voice.

 

She was deep in thought over the origin of an injury so severe yet Casey wasn’t eager to tell the story. He had asked her to let it go, but it was eating away at her. It would be a betrayal of his trust, but the fact that he kept it from her left her horribly concerned. She had to ask the only person she thought could help her…She needed to talk to Donnie.

 


	3. Chapter 3

Her phone chimed as she dropped down the sewer. A text from Casey.

 

-You didn’t meet me after school. Are you pissed?-

 

She sighed.

 

-No. Just trying to give you space.-

 

-I don’t need space. I just don’t want to talk about it.-

 

-Maybe I am the one who needs space.-

 

She scowled as she shoved her phone into her pocket. She heard it chime but ignored it. She ran down the sewer tiptoeing as she got to the lair. She peered around the corner, no one around. It wasn’t uncommon for the turtles to sleep during the day hours due to their nighttime activities. She crept towards Donnie’s lab. He was asleep on the table. Also not uncommon.

 

She looked up at the police scanner he had built. She focused on the dash cam of the cop stationed outside the school. She could see Casey on the front steps looking down at his phone. He would put it in his pocket, walk to the other end of the school steps then take it back out. He did this a few times as she watched. Finally she reached into her own pocket and looked at her phone.

 

-You don’t mean a break do you?-

 

She smiled. What an idiot. Of course that isn’t what she meant. There he was stressing that she wouldn’t text him back. All she could think was, _I love that dumb lug._

 

“A-April?” Donnie looked up groggily. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Donnie! I…I need to talk to you…”

 

“Sure, anything.” He sat up, various mechanical parts falling to the floor as he moved his arms off his desk.

 

“I need to talk to you about…I wanted to ask you…” She sighed looking at Casey pacing in front of the school still checking his phone. “Could you look up reasons someone would get a metal plate put in their head? I tried to find it myself and it was harder than I thought…” It wasn’t right to tell him it was about Casey. It wasn’t her place and he had asked her to drop it. It was clear he didn’t want anyone to know. But she could at least lookup reasons for it.

 

“Sure, but why?” He rubbed his eyes skewing his purple bandana.

 

“Its…Its for a school project. Extra credit you know?”

 

“And you know I can get you an A?” He smiled.

 

“Just the research Donnie.” She laughed turning back to the screen.

 

“No problem. I can have it for you later today, is that alright?”

 

“Sure…Donnie, I’m sorry I have to go…” She turned and rushed out of the room.

 

“Yea thats fine, s-see you…later?” He turned to the screen to see what had her running out so fast. All he saw was the front of the school. Empty.

 


	4. Chapter 4

Casey had answered his phone. The conversation had been short and he looked like he was shouting. After a moment he hung up and sprinted away from the school in the direction of his apartment.

 

The guilt washed over April as she ran down the street. The sun was beginning to set and she could barely see the screen of her phone as she ran. But she didn’t need to see it. No new messages. She had texted him when she left the lair.

 

-No Casey, not a break. I love you. I’m coming over.-

 

She didn’t know what had Casey running home, but she had a bad feeling. And not just intuition. A psychic pain in her temple had began to throb as soon as she got out of the sewer. She stopped out front of the apartment building she had been once before. It broke her heart that the last time she had been there she had been with Casey. They hadn’t had a moment alone since that night, but she had fond memories of his room, of his skin against hers. Whatever her bad feeling was, she cursed anything that would taint her memories of that night. She rushed up the stairs and down the hall to his apartment. She heard shouting coming from inside.

 

“Casey? Casey!” She hit her fist on the door.

 

There was a crash and then Casey’s voice shouting. After a moment the chain lock on the door rustled from within and it opened.

 

“April?” He asked. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I texted you! I was so worried, I had this bad feeling when you didn’t text back…”

 

“Its fine. I’m fine.” He said quickly.

 

“Casey I don’t want to break up, I-“

 

“April, believe me when I say I’m sorry, but I can’t talk right now.”

 

“Whats going on?”

 

“I-Ahh!” There was a crash and the door shut.

 

“Casey!”

 

After a moment and some loud sounds the door opened again.

 

“I’m sorry April but its dangerous for you to be here right now, you have to go!”

 

“You’re bleeding!”

 

A single bead of blood rushed down his cheek from his temple.

 

“Its just a scratch.” He wiped it away.

 

“I can fight Casey! You know I can! Whatever is going on let me help you!”

 

“You can’t!”

 

“I’m not leaving!”

 

He hung his head in the doorway.

 

“Its my dad…” He said. “He…he’s drunk…”

 

She was speechless.

 

“There _is_ something you can do. I need you to take my sister, Shadow, and get her out of here.” He avoided looking directly at her.

 

“Y-yes, anything I can do to help.”

 

“Ok, I’m…I’m going to distract my dad, her room is down the hall, you remember?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“She has the door locked from the inside. Just tell her who you are and she will open it for you. Keep her away until I call you.”

 

“Will you be ok by yourself?”

 

“I’ll be fine.” He tried to smile. “And April?”

 

They made eye contact for the first time since he had opened the door.

 

“She can tell you everything you want to know. Better than I can actually.”

 

She nodded.

 

After a deep breath Casey moved away from the door. She could hear him shouting. She waited a couple of seconds and then rushed into the apartment. She walked quietly down the hall passing by the living room. Out the corner of her eye she saw Casey gripping a man by the collar of his shirt and shoving him back. She put it out of her mind and continued down the hall. Once she got to the door of his sisters room she knocked softly.

 

“Whose there?” Asked a tearful voice.

 

“My name is April. I’m a friend of your brothers.”

 

“A friend?”

 

“H-his girlfriend actually.”

 

The sound of a lock turning came through the wood door. It cracked open to reveal a dark haired girl with warm brown eyes full of tears.

 

“Come with me. I’m going to get you out of here.”

 

April put her arm over the girls head keeping her eyes focused downward as they rushed passed the living room. She stopped as Shadow continued to the front door. She caught a glimpse of Casey’s father swinging back his closed fist. It was as if she saw red. Before she even realized, her tessen was in her hand. She threw it, slicing his arm before it made contact with his son. He stopped and held his wound. It wasn’t deep.

 

“Go!” Casey shouted.”Go now!”

 

April paused for a moment, wide eyed watching Casey struggle with his dad. But Casey was in control. It was clear. She turned and looked at the young girl waiting for her in the doorway and she ran to her. They shut the door standing in the hallway breathing heavily.

 

“I-is Casey going to be ok?” Shadow asked.

 

“Yes. I can feel it.”

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Depictions of violence against children!  
> Trigger warning of abusive parents!  
> I intended for this story to convey the complexities of alcoholism and abuse.

“I’m sorry. This is the first time I’ve met you and…I really don’t know what to say…” She put her hand gently on the younger girls back.

 

They sat on a bench in the park as Shadow quietly cried.

 

“He had been doing so good…” She wept. “It had been more than a year since he had a drink…”

 

“Look, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. But today Casey told me about a metal plate that he has in his head…He said you knew more about it than him?”

 

Shadow began to cry even harder.

 

“I’m sorry! Forget that I said anything! It was insensitive of me to ask!”

 

“No…Casey told you that, he probably wants you to know…” She sniffed. “God, I thought we were over this, but this day just won’t let my family live in peace.”

 

“What day?” April asked cautiously.

 

“The day my mother died…”

 

April was silent as Shadow gathered herself and stopped crying.

 

“My mother was never supposed to have kids. She was born with a bad heart. She was pretty good at taking care of herself, but when she got pregnant the doctor told her it would be risky. She didn’t care. When Casey was born she had a major heart attack. When I was born she had another. She got better for a few years but the damage was done. She died of heart failure. I was too little to even remember. Casey does though...

“My dad used to be an NHL player, but as soon as he hit the pro level he hurt himself. Bad. Bad enough that he would never be a pro hockey player ever again. My mom was his physical therapist. She helped rehabilitate him and before long they were married. When her heart condition got worse my dad spent most of the money he had made in the NHL on trying to save her. He got her the best doctors, the best hospitals, the best treatment…But she still died. Casey was five…I was one.

“After her death my dad didn’t know what to do with himself. Casey always said that he was like a shell for nearly a year. And then he started drinking. At first the drinking just made it so he could sleep. He would drink until he passed out and then he would be able to get through another day. But as his tolerance for alcohol got better he started to get angry. He would yell at Casey and say horrible things, like that our mother would still be alive if we had never been born. He would wake up the next day and not remember a thing. I think I was about six when things started to get violent.

“Our dad had shoved Casey around before that. But thats all it was. A shove into his room, a push into the couch. But when Casey was ten my dad started hitting him. Casey would tell me to go to my room as soon as he smelled the scent of alcohol on my dad. He even put a lock on my door so that no one could get in. Some nights I would hear my dad hitting my brother and then pounding on my door. Casey always called him away though.” Shadow stopped and looked up.

 

April tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks before Shadow could see them but it was no use.

 

“I’m sorry.” April whispered. “Please, if you can…I want to hear the whole story.”

 

“Casey was thirteen when it happened. The worst of it. I was locked in my room, I could hear my dad hitting Casey. Normally I tried to ignore it, but that night was different. It was the anniversary of my moms death. Just like today. Casey usually took the hits and then went to his room once dad passed out. But that night he couldn’t get away. I heard him screaming. He was begging him to stop. But it was even worse when his screaming stopped.”

I ran out of my room to make sure Casey was ok and I found him laying on the floor. My father was kicking him, his face was bleeding, his teeth were in a pool of blood on the carpet.

“I ran over and grabbed my dads arm trying to get him away from my brother. But he turned and slapped me across the face. It was the first time my dad had ever hit me. Casey was hurt bad, but as soon as my dad turned on me he got up and started to attack him. I had seen my dad hitting Casey tons of times before but that was the first time I saw Casey hit my dad. He got him good too. Split his lip and made his ear bleed. Thats probably why dad threw him.”

 

April gasped involuntarily. She was trembling from crying. She gripped her knees as hard as she could and bit her lip until she tasted blood.

 

“Casey hit the kitchen table head first. It was a sturdy table, made of wood, we still have it actually. After he landed on the ground I saw the blood coming from his forehead and called 911. As drunk as he was, even my father realized how bad it was when Casey didn’t move. He went to him and rolled him over. There was so much blood his face was nearly all red. You could see his skull through the skin. My dad was certain he had killed him. He got up and left.

“I went to the hospital with him in the ambulance. He had emergency surgery and eventually had the plate put in where his skull had been cracked. Finally my dad showed up at the hospital, he had no idea how Casey had gotten there. He had woken up on the street and when Casey and I didn’t come home he checked his phone messages. The doctors had left him a voicemail.

“When he got to the hospital I was afraid for him to even _look_ at me. After I finally told him what happened he just broke down. He wouldn’t leave Casey’s side until he woke up.”

 

“Bastard.” April wept to herself.

 

“Believe it or not, when he is sober he is actually a great dad. Caring, thoughtful. He always remembers our birthdays and takes us on trips. I think that’s why Casey was able to endure the abuse for as long as he did. Most of the time my dad didn’t even know that he had done anything to him. I don’t think he realized for the longest time he was even hitting him.

“Once Casey woke up he had no memory of that night. My dad told him the story right away and told him he was going to turn himself in. He had only wanted to wait until Casey woke up so he could say goodbye. Casey asked him why it was goodbye and dad told him that he and I were probably going into foster care. My dad explained that we would go to homes and be taken care of by other people until the court decided he was a fit parent. Casey only asked one question. He asked if he could stay with me. My dad cried and told him he wasn’t sure. Sometimes they split kids up. After that Casey was quiet. He asked dad to leave him alone and told him not to turn himself in until he had time to think.

“After about a day Casey told dad he wasn’t going to let him go to the police. Casey had gone through the hospital pamphlets and information and found out about foster care. The chances of us staying together were slim to none. My dad was horrified and said he knew his drinking was out of his control. But Casey still refused. He said dad owed him. He had talked to me about it too. As scared as I had been that night I knew Casey didn’t want me to be on my own. And neither did I. So he made dad promise not to tell the police. Dad swore he would go to Alcoholics Anonymous and start getting better. Casey made him promise one last thing. That he would never be home alone with me.

“Dad promised. He even took the night shift so that Casey didn’t have to worry about me being home with him when he had hockey practice. I made friends at school and dad asked if I could spend some nights at their houses explaining that he was a single father and that he worked nights for the security company. Most of the time my friends families will have me over if dad is going to be home and Casey isn’t.

“Dad struggled with his drinking at first and Casey would still get bruises every so often, but never as bad as that one night. Finally the program started to work for dad. The only time he still got as bad as he used to was on the anniversary of moms death. Last year we spent all night with him watching old movies and playing board games. It was the first year he had spent that day sober since it happened. I was sure that was a sign he had gotten better…But now this…”

 

“Casey never said a word…”

 

“The official story he told to the hospital was that he was messing around on a stool in the kitchen and fell into the table. He told them he knocked his teeth out and broke his nose when he hit the floor. I don’t think everyone believed it. He had some fractured ribs and a dislocated jaw. But when I confirmed the story there wasn’t much they could do.” Shadow stopped and began to cry again. “My brother was never the same after that night. He started to act differently…He would go out nights and come back covered in spray paint. Some nights he would spend at the ice rink shooting pucks all alone. He made friends with the rink staff, they would let him stay as late as he wanted. We…we don’t spend as much time together as we used to…Even though my dad still try to take us on trips sometimes…”

 

“Shadow…You’ve been through so much…Is it really right for you two to stay with your dad?”

 

“Hes not a bad person…” She sniffed. “I know it may not seem like that to you hearing that story and seeing him that way, but he really isn’t. When he’s not drinking he’s the best dad I could ever ask for. He’s never broken his promise to Casey that he wouldn’t be home alone with me. Not once. At least until today, when he came home drunk. I ran to my room and called Casey.”

 

April remembered the phone call she had seen on the police scanner. She looked down at her phone screen, a picture of her and Casey making stupid faces was her background image. She wanted to cry but her eyes felt raw from tears already. At that moment the phone rang. Casey’s contact picture covered the screen with a toothless smile. That smile would never be the same to her… She answered the call but said nothing.

 

“April?” Casey’s voice was smooth and cautious. He was aware that she must know the whole story by now. “Its safe. Hey is…is it ok if Shadow stays at your place tonight?”

 

“Of course.” April breathed.

 

“I’ll meet you there.”

 

She hung up the phone and looked at the brown haired girl sitting next to her. She leaned in and embraced her. Shadow cried into her shoulder and hugged her back. They knew little about each other. They had just met. But they sat in the park knowing the one thing they both had in common that mattered. They both loved Casey Jones.

 


	6. Chapter 6

April closed the door to her room quietly. Shadow was asleep on her bed, exhausted from the day she had. She walked to the living room where Casey had been explaining as much as he had to to her father.

 

“Dad? I know its late but…I’m going to go for a walk with Casey.”

 

“Tell the turtles I said hi.” He smiled at her. “And be safe ok?”

 

She wanted to cry again as he father hugged her. She looked at Casey from her family embrace. His expression was blank as he turned away.

 

After what felt like an eternity of walking down the street in silence behind Casey she cleared her throat loudly. Casey stopped in his tracks.

 

“Just say what you want to say.” He said seriously.

 

April thought long and hard. She had wanted to break the silence but his tone made it clear that her next words were important.

 

“Some things…are just beyond our control.”

 

Casey’s shoulders fell.

 

“It kills me that you have been going through this for so long without telling me…I just want you to be safe. And you can’t fault me for that. I know you want the same thing for me… When my dad was mutated I felt horrible…I knew it wasn’t who he really was. I had to look at my father all the time and see him as a monster…but deep down I knew my dad was still in there. I can’t say I understand why you chose to live with a man who abused you so badly Casey. Right now I want nothing more than to take you away from him, because I love you. But, all I can really say is…I’m so glad you’re safe.”

 

Casey turned around. With his hood up most of his face was hidden in shadow. But she could see the sadness expressed on his lips illuminated by what little of the street lights touched his face. He walked slowly towards her and hugged her. She put her arms around his back as she felt his embrace around her tighten. His shoulders shook.

 

“I don’t want this for me, and I don’t want this for Shadow. I want my dad to be the person he used to be. I want us to be the family we were when my mom was alive. But I can’t lose what little family I have left. I can’t lose Shadow. My dad is a monster sometimes… But I know he’s still in there.” Casey was doing his best to keep his voice even, but she could feel the tears soaking in to her shoulder as they rolled off his cheeks. “Here.” He held out her tessen to her as he let her go.

 

He turned away and brushed his arm over his face.

 

“Lets go see the guys.” She said touching his back gently.

 

“Yea…” He agreed.

 

He kept his back to her, but the Casey she knew and loved was still there as he silently reached his hand backwards waiting for her fingers to lock with his.

 


	7. Chapter 7

In the dim light of the sewer Casey seemed to feel better. He finally started walking next to her. April got closer and closer as she walked by his side until their arms were touching. He laughed a little as she leaned in to him and put his arm over her shoulder. They continued to walk in silence until the turnstiles came into view.

 

“April! I’m glad you’re back!” Donnie came out of his lab. “I have those papers you wanted on the metal skull plate.”

 

She waved her arms at him trying to shut him up but it was too late.

 

“You _told_ them?” Casey asked in disbelief. “Did you wait a minute after you talked to shadow or did you take a whole five for good measure?!?”

 

“Did I miss something…?” Donnie asked confused.

 

“Whats going on?” The other three walked out of the kitchen.

 

“Do you guys know too?!?” Casey asked.

 

“Know what?” Leo said confused. “Donnies metal plate thing?”

 

Casey turned and kicked the turnstile sending the three metal bars spinning and clicking like crazy.

 

“Dude! Calm down! Whats going on?!?” Raph ran forward standing between April and Casey.

 

“You knew how I felt about people knowing!!!” He shouted at her.

 

“I didn’t tell them!” She said desperately. “Tell him Donnie!”

 

“Tell him what?!? April asked me to help her with a paper for school!”

 

“Its the same difference!” Casey stomped forward looking over Raphs head angrily.

 

“Its not Casey! I asked him before I went to your house! I was just trying to learn some things for myself! I was scared! Let him go Raph!”

 

“You can’t handle him when he gets like this!” Raph pushed Casey back by his chest.

 

“Yes I can.” April said with certainty.

 

“You never know April, violence runs in my family!” He clenched his fists.

 

“I do know! Because I know no matter how angry you are you would never hurt the people you care about!” She took two large steps forward until she was looking up into his face.

 

Casey stood in front of her, the turtles were all at the ready, Donatello had drawn his bow staff. He clenched his fists and stared angrily down at her. Ultimately he turned with a frustrated cry and kicked the turnstile once more.

 

“You’ve been hurt by someone you love Casey. I know you can’t harm someone the same way. It would eat you alive.”

 

“Shut up!” He shouted.

 

“ _Don’t_ tell her to shut up!” Donatello pointed his staff.

 

“Donnie stop! Casey you have to tell them!”

 

“No I don’t! I don’t want the pity! I don’t want the looks! I just want to move on with my life like normal!”

 

“April its ok. I already know.” The attention in the room suddenly turned to Leonardo. “Splinter figured it out Casey.” He said calmly. He told me before he died.”

 

“You…You knew?”

 

“Splinter said it was your burden to bear. He said when the time came you would tell us yourself and that it was part of your healing that you tell us when you were ready.”

 

“So confused.” Michelangelo put his hands on his head.

 

“How could he have known…” Casey asked stunned.

 

“He had healed you before Casey…He said he felt the pain from all of your previous injuries. He said he could feel your scar…”

 

“Stop.” He whispered.

 

“This is driving me nuts guys!” Mikeys hands were still on his head.

 

“What scar?” Raph asked angrily. “Casey what is going on!?!”

 

“STOP!”

 

“No! I’m sick of this! You can’t keep secrets from your friends!”

 

“Raph no!”

 

“Stay out of this Leo!”

 

“You want to see it!?! FINE!” Casey took the bandana off his head and pulled back his bangs.

 

His friends gaped in horror at the large discolored gash that started at the bridge of his nose. His hairline was interrupted in the center of his forehead. Where more hair should have continued from his scalp a good inch was missing in a jagged dagger shape. It indented just enough to make it unsettling and dots across the sides of it showed where it had originally been sewn together.

 

“What…What happened…?” Raph stepped backwards.

 

“My dad threw me across the room ok? We can’t all have ninja master dads who told us zen stories at bedtime! Or scientist dads who helped us with our homework! You want to know who _my_ dad is? He’s a washed up hockey player who couldn’t stand the death of his wife so he became a drunk who takes it out on his kid! But I can’t even tell you because I don’t remember that day! I can’t tell you a lot of things! Because of this stupid scar I have permanent brain damage!”

 

“Oh my god.” April put her hands to her mouth. Her knees felt weak collapsing under her.

 

“Yea, sucks doesn’t it? I bet you don’t want a boyfriend whose messed up in the head do you?”

 

“Casey…”

 

“Well guess what? I don’t want it either! You think I want to be this angry all the time? You think I want to have the impulse of a child? Master splinter did all he could for my anger issues but ultimately it was a waste of time because you can’t undo brain damage!”

 

“Frontal lobe…” Donnie said quietly to himself. “Inhibition, emotional control, judgement. Prefrontal cortex damage…”

 

“Forget this.” Casey began to leave.

 

“Wait!”

 

“No! I don’t have to sit around and explain this to you! I already know I’m a freak! Even your dead dad knew not to bother me with it! You all deserve each other! I’m out!”

 

“Casey!” April got up to go after him.

 

“April, I think you should let him go.” Leo put his hand on her shoulder.

 

“I can’t! He’s hurt!”

 

“Casey didn’t want to tell us about this. He needs time to process.”

 

“This explains so much…” Donnie said to himself. “His angry outbursts, the way he runs into things without thinking, his short attention span, its all symptomatic of prefrontal cortex damage. We always thought it was just his personality but-“

 

“Stop it Donnie.” April whispered.

 

“So…Casey is only Casey because he got hit in the head?” Mikey asked. “Doesn’t that mean if we hit him in the head again he’ll be who he used to be?”

 

“It doesn’t work like that Mikey. Thats only in the movies.” Raph turned from his brothers.

 

“I should have just left it alone at school. I should have just let him tell me when he wanted to. It doesn’t matter who he used to be. Casey is who he is now. We didn’t know the old Casey so the person he was then doesn’t matter. All that matters is who he is now and we acted like jerks to him!”

 

“Aprils right!” Michealangelo said sounding inspired. “We need to do something for him to show him we’re sorry!”

 

“I’d like to pound his dad…” Raph mumbled.

 

“No one is pounding anyone.” Leo said. “I think I have an idea. Its a small gesture but…It will at least let Casey know we’re thinking about him. Master splinter had this tea…It smelled like gym socks but he said it was a detox tea. It clears all the toxins out of your system. It should help his dad control the craving for alcohol when he falls off the wagon…”

 

“I have an Idea too.” Donatello added. “Repeat offenders for alcoholism are often made to wear anklets with sensors that monitor the sweat and oil on their skin for toxins. I can make a practical one for Casey’s dad that will synch up with his phone. At least that way they will have a heads up if he’s drunk…”

 

“I got one too! Wait…no… its just a…*Brrrrppp* yea! I got it! PIZZA PARTY! Whats Casey favorite kind of pizza? I think it was meat lovers? Yo! Woodie! I need two dozen meat lovers pizzas delivered to the warehouse on second street!” Mikey continued to talk loudly as he made his way past the turnstiles.

 

“I guess I’ll have to come up with something that isn’t beating the snot out of his dad… He _is_ always breaking his hockey sticks and getting them chopped up by foot ninja…I’ve been wanting to reinforce them for him for a while. Donny, I’m gonna need to borrow some rebar and a drill.”

 

“What…What can I do? Casey’s right, I didn’t tell Donnie but I was going to…”

 

“Why don’t you go find him April? Make sure he’s not getting into any fights. When the time is right you’ll know that he’s ready to talk.” Leo put his hand on her back.

 

She smiled at him. “I may need my Kuno ichi uniform again.”

 


	8. Chapter 8

“Give me all your money!” Shouted a nervous young man brandishing a knife.

 

“Keep moving punk. You picked the wrong night to mess with Casey Jones.”

 

“I don’t care if you’re the mayor! Give me everything you’ve got, now!”

 

“Tough luck. I don’t _have_ anything.”

 

“W-walking this late at night? You gotta have _something!”_

 

“This is your last chance to leave me alone.”

 

“I said give me your-“

 

Casey took one step forward smashing his forehead into the muggers nose. Blood streamed down the strangers front as he stepped backwards holding his face.

 

“A-are you crazy?!? I have a knife!”

 

“Not for long.” He swung his leg around kicking the weapon out of the attackers hand. His kick was sloppy and brutish, but he didn’t have to be a ninja to disarm a man with a broken nose. He stepped towards him again and pushed him onto the ground. “I gave you a chance. You didn’t listen. This is _your_ fault _not_ mine.”

 

He kicked the muggers thigh causing him to cry out in pain before he kicked him again. He got down on his knees taking the young man by the collar and punching him across the face.

 

“S-shtop! Puh-puhlesh!” Blood gathered in his mouth as Casey continued to strike him. “I’ll go! I’ll leave!”

 

“Too late for that.” The street light cast a frightening shadow over Casey’s eyes as he brought his fist down once more towards the mans face.

 

“Casey stop!” April grabbed his arm from behind, holding it with her entire upper body.

 

“Let go!” He shouted.

 

“You’re going to kill him Casey!”

 

“I don’t care!” His eyes flashed with rage.

 

“Yes you do!” Tears rolled down her face. “You do! You may not realize it right now, but if you killed someone it would destroy you! Just let him go…”

 

Casey jerked his arm away from her, anger still in his expression. He stood up and dropped his hold on the mans shirt.

 

“You’re not worth it anyway.” He spat as he walked around him.

 

After a moment of walking he turned into the park. He walked over to the benches near the baseball diamond and sat down.

 

“How long have you been following me Red?”

 

“I found you about five minutes after you left the lair…”

 

“That was nearly twenty minutes ago. You were following me for that long?”

 

“I could tell you were still angry. I wanted to give you time to cool down.”

 

“Where do you come off-“

 

“Are we going to break up over this?” She interrupted him.

 

Casey said nothing. She walked over and sat on the bench as far away from him as space would allow.

 

“I’m sorry for how all of this turned out…I’m not sorry that I found out about your dad, but I’m sorry I wasn’t patient enough to let you tell me yourself. I should have trusted you. I should have let you decide how you wanted to tell me… How you wanted to tell the guys…”

 

“Yea, you should have.”

 

“As bad as I feel though, I know I can’t change anything. Given the chance I’d probably do it all the same. Because as soon as I found out that you had been injured that badly before…It just ate me up inside. I had to know why. I had to know if there was anything I could do to help you.”

 

“Well you can’t. So you just betrayed my trust and invaded my privacy for nothing.”

 

“I…I’m sorry.” She whispered and stood up.

 

“My dad used to bring me here when I was little.” He said as she began to walk away. “We would play ball, and roll around in the grass. My mom would set up a picnic with my baby sister sleeping in the stroller. My dad isn’t the monster he seems to be. I know no one will understand that. Some days even _I_ don’t understand that. Thats why I have to come here, and remember a time before my life was like this.”

 

“I can’t tell you what to do Casey. I don’t want you to have to live with someone that hurts you, but I also don’t want you or your sister to have to go to foster care. I know it could tare your life apart.”

 

“…Thanks Red. I think thats exactly what I needed to hear.”

 

“What?”

 

“That you know its not an easy decision.”

 

“Now that I know, you and your sister can stay at my apartment any time you need. I know my dad will be ok with it too.” She swallowed the lump in her throat forcing her voice not to crack. “Even if we are breaking up, you can stay at my apartment if you need to…”

 

Casey let out a heavy sigh.

 

“I don’t want to break up April. Believe it or not, you’re still the best thing that ever happened to me. Even if you do piss me off.”

 

April smiled, no longer able to hold the tears back from streaming down her face. She wiped her cheeks with her hands but the tears continued to flow.

 

“You know, those idiots are back at the sewer lair running around trying to make up for how badly we treated you.”

 

“Oh geez. Do we have to go back?”

 

“Come on Casey. Its only because they love you!” She cautiously put her hand on the bench next to his.

 

He crept his fingers along the wood until they lightly touched hers. He looked away from her down the park path.

 

“I guess we do have to go then.”

 

“I wish I could think of something to do for you…to show you I’m sorry.”

 

“Honestly Red, theres nothing else you have that I want. The only thing I ever really wanted was to be your boyfriend.”

 

“Are you trying to be cute?”

 

“Not really, just being honest. But I’ll remember that one next time I’m trying to be cute.”

 

They stood up and walked side by side back towards the lair.

 

“I could do your trig homework for a month.”

 

“A month? Babe, you uncovered my deepest darkest secret, I think you need to do my trig homework for the rest of my _life_.”

 

“But then you’ll never learn! Besides, you used up half of what I owe you getting away with calling me ‘babe’ just now.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GRAPHIC SEX SCENE!  
> Enjoy :P

“That was a riot!” Casey laughed as they closed the door to Aprils apartment. “Mikey sure knows how to throw a pizza party! And with my favorite kind of pizza too! To be fair I think Mikey can tell anyones favorite kind of pizza just by looking at them.”

 

She smiled and held her finger over her lips to quiet him.

 

“I guess this is good night.” He spoke softly.

 

“Are you kidding? You’re staying here! You can’t go home to your dad tonight!”

 

“Where am I supposed to sleep? Shadow is already in your bed and I don’t want to take over your house or anything.”

 

“We have a nice guest room. I’ll sleep on the couch”

 

“In your own house? Don’t be silly, _I’ll_ sleep on the couch.”

 

“But you’re bigger than me! You need more space!”

 

Casey crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

 

“Or…we could _both_ sleep in the guest room.”

 

“Is there more than one bed?” Casey asked already knowing the answer.

 

“No.”

 

“Red, as fun as that sounds…” He stepped towards her until their faces were as close as they could be without him stooping to kiss her. “I don’t think its a good Idea with your dad in the other room.”

 

“He doesn’t have to know.” Her knees became weak with longing as she looked at his lips.

 

“Unless he comes in…”

 

“He wouldn’t without knocking.”

 

“I feel like I would be betraying his trust, sleeping in the same bed as his daughter while he was down the hall.”

 

“Well, what about me?” She pressed her body against him watching with excitement as his eyes widened in surprise.

 

“You sure he won’t find out?” Casey stepped backwards rubbing the back of his head nervously.

 

“I won’t tell if you don’t.” She took another step towards him.

 

“Oh-Okay…”

 

She took him by the hand and led him quietly down the hall. Her apartment was bigger than it looked. Her fathers room was at the end of the hall, her room was next to it. They used one of the spare bedrooms as an office and the last was the guest room. Furthest away from her dads. Perfect.

 

April shut the door quietly behind her and laid down on the full-sized mattress. She rolled over on the fluffy warm bedspread smiling and stretching. Casey smiled back and laid down next to her.

 

“I feel like we’re sneaking around.” He smiled.

 

“Thats because we are!” She whispered kissing him.

 

He could feel the smile on her lips as she took his lower lip between hers, gently running her teeth over it before releasing it back to him.

 

“You’re dangerous Red.” He sighed. “I’m trying not to get swept away right now.”

 

“Stop trying.” She kissed him again pulling herself towards him on the bed.

 

“But-mmmph!”

 

She silenced him with another kiss and pulled his shirt up over his chest.

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” He asked as his head came free of his collar. “I still feel bad with your dad being here.”

 

“Casey, you really need to stop think about my dad right now.” She stared at him and ran her fingers over his collar bone biting her lip.

 

“Believe me I don’t want to be. All I want to think about is you and your…”

 

She removed her shirt and reached behind her to unfasten her bra. “My what?”

 

“…your skin…” He ran his hand slowly up her abdomen.

 

She took his wrist and moved his hand up to her breast as she leaned over and kissed him deeply. He raised his other hand to her chest, a sigh escaping against his will at the soft feeling of her flesh beneath his rough fingers.

 

“A-April…” He breathed as a bead of saliva hung between their lips.

 

She put her hand behind him, taking the knot of his bandana and undoing it. As she lifted it away from his head he smoothed his bangs over his brow. She stopped his hand and took it away. Slowly she brushed his hair away from his forehead revealing the bottom of his disfiguring scar.

 

“You look nice with your bangs pushed to the side.” She smiled softly.

 

“Come on…” He tried to push his hair back but she stopped him again.

 

“No I’m serious. Who cares if people see? Its part of who you are.”

 

“What? Brain damage?”

 

“You call it that, but its the only Casey Jones I’ve ever known. So it doesn’t make any difference to me what you were like before. I love you now. Isn’t that all that matters?”

 

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. She couldn’t be more perfect than she was in that moment. April O’Neil, that smart beautiful girl sitting half naked on top of him. She loved him. She loved who he was. Everything that had happened that day seemed so petty in that moment. Because all that mattered was her.

 

He rolled her over on to her back. She squealed lightly at his sudden movement. She tried to laugh but his expression was so serious. His eyes were so true. He leaned in and kissed her pulling her whole body against his like he wanted to be one with her.

 

“I love you too.” He whispered running his tongue across her earlobe and down her neck.

 

She put her hands on his back as his fingers ran down her and under her waistline.

 

“Mmmmnnn” She sighed as he gripped the back of her.

 

She could feel him grinding against her through his jeans. She could feel his desire. It only fueled hers.

 

“C-Casey…”

 

He sat backwards and undid the button on her pants with one hand. She wiggled back and forth kicking her shorts off as their mouths occupied one another. She pulled at his jeans pushing them down to his knees. She felt his teeth lightly bite the nape of her neck then kiss it softly. The only thing between them was her yellow daisy panties and his navy blue boxers. She grinned and rolled away from him.

 

“Hey, where you going?” He asked breathily as he watched her pull back the sheets and disappear beneath the covers.

 

The blankets rustled and after a brief second he saw her hand emerge holding the daisy pattered material by one finger and tossing it aside. Casey smiled and pulled back the other side of the bed. He tossed his shorts out from the tent of bedsheets and reached for her in the darkness of the soft fabric. He found her arm and followed it up to her face. He could feel her smile under his finger tips as she scooted her body forward making contact with his skin.

 

He sighed happily rolling over on top of her. He tried to kiss her but missed her lips in the darkness and made contact with her nose. She chuckled and corrected him. They held the kiss as Casey gently pushed himself into her feeling the breath escaping her nose onto his cheeks as she reacted.

 

“Hahn…” She let go of their kiss to moan with pleasure.

 

He arched his shoulders forward embracing her as he moved his hips against her silky thighs. He pushed her knees upwards so he could penetrate her deeper quieting her with a kiss as more sounds of ecstasy escaped.

 

“Hmmmnn!!!” She moaned, their tongues vibrating at the sound of her voice. “Mmmnnn!!!”

 

He felt her muscles contract around him as she tilted her head backwards and breathed heavily.

 

“Casey! Casey! Ca…sey!” She did her best to keep her voice quiet but he sped his pace as he felt her cum which only prolonged her orgasm. “Ah!! Ahhhnnn!!!”

 

“Stay quiet Red.” She could hear the smile in his voice as he kissed her cheek still moving against her.

 

“Y-you don’t make it easy you know!” She gasped.

 

“Thats part of the fun.” He propped himself up on his elbows just enough to see her face dimly lit by the soft moonlight.

 

She tilted her head backwards into the pillow gripping the corner of it. His movement never slowed. The soft wet warmth of her embrace was all he wanted in that moment. He wanted to see her face. He wanted to watch her cum.

 

Casey brought his knees forward lifting her hips slightly off the bed. He gripped the top rail of the headboard behind her hoping the soft pound of the bed against the wall wouldn’t wake anyone. He continued to push in and pull out of her. He tried to run the full length of his cock against her opening. He could feel as his body pushed against hers that he could go no deeper. Her voice got louder and louder. She clapped a hand over her mouth as they rushed themselves together.

 

“I’m about to…April… I’m going to…I have to pull out.”

 

“No don’t! I’m close too!”

 

“But if I-“

 

“I don’t care. We can worry about it in the m-morning.”

 

“But-“

 

“Casey! I’m coming!”

 

Her face was so beautiful. Her lips open slightly, her eyes clenched shut yet her face was somehow serene. Her eyelids shot open and he watched her pupils dilate and the breath escape her throat. He couldn’t help himself.

 

“Hnnnn!!!” He pushed in to her letting himself go.

 

She felt the sensation of his release as she came down for her orgasm. His pulsing muscles continued longer than she expected, but slowly died down as he hung his head forward, exhausted.

 

“God, I love the feel of you.” He whispered falling on top of her.

 

“Its mutual.” She sighed.

 

“I feel like I could sleep for a week after that.”


	10. Chapter 10

April opened her eyes as he heard a knock on the door.

 

“Uh oh…” She glanced at the boy sleeping like a log next to her wearing only boxers.

 

“Sweet heart? You in there?”

 

“Uh, yea, give me a second dad!”

 

She was only in her underpants. It had felt good to sleep mostly naked, Caseys fingers brushing her bare skin in the night as he reached out for her to make sure she was still there. But at this exact moment it seemed like it may have been a bad idea…

 

She found her yellow t shirt and pulled it over her head. She grabbed the large down comforter and threw it on top of her sleeping boyfriend making him look like a pile of blankets. She tossed his clothes under the bed frame and scrambled to open the door.

 

“…where are your pajamas?” Dr Kirby asked.

 

“Oh, I didn’t want to wake Shadow by going in to my room so I just slept in my t shirt!”

 

“What happened to Casey? I hope he didn’t go home last night…”

 

“No he stayed the night at the lair. I’m sure he will be over in a while to get his sister.” April glanced to the side and noticed one of Casey’s chucks laying out in the open. There was no way her dad would believe she wore size 11s…

 

“Ok, well I’m off to work. Be sure to tell Casey and his sister that they are welcome here any time they need. I really wish they wouldn’t live with an abusive father but…I can’t tell them what to do, I can only offer my help.”

 

“Thanks dad…I know that means the world to both of them…”

 

“Well, _you_ mean the world to _me._ And Casey has done a great job protecting you out there. I can’t help but return the favor.” He hugged her and kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you later tonight sweet heart. Be careful if you walk Casey and Shadow home ok? You never know what could happen with a man like that…Don’t go in the apartment when he’s there ok?”

 

“Don’t worry dad. Casey wouldn’t let anything happen to me.” Her face softened into a smile.

 

Her dad turned and left. She let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t seen the shoe. She heard the front door shut and ran to the window of the living room watching her dad walk down the street and out of sight. Once he was gone she ran back to the guest room and jumped on to the pile of blankets that was her boyfriend.

 

“Oof!” Casey exhaled, waking suddenly to the slight build of the red head jumping onto his torso. “Morning Red…”

 

“That was so much fun! We should do that again! Maybe without my dad nearly catching you though.”

 

“Say what?!?”

 

“He came in to say good bye.” She stuck her tongue out and smiled. “Its a good thing you don’t snore!”

 

“You mean like you do?”

 

“What!? I do _not_ snore!”

 

“At the right angle you do. I think when your head was tilted just about like this...”

 

“Yea? Well you have morning breath!”

 

“Come here, give me a kiss!” He exhaled on to her.

 

“Eww! No! Stop!” She giggled as they rolled about in the mess of coveres together.

 

“Casey?” Came a sleepy voice from the open doorway.

 

“Sh-Shadow!” Casey sat up suddenly taking his hands off of April.

 

“Good morning!” April smiled at her. “How did you sleep?”

 

“Your bed is comfy.”

 

“Good! Would you like to take a shower?”

 

Shadow nodded sleepily.

 

“Ok, well let me show you where the bathroom is and Casey…” She looked at her boyfriend. His cheeks were flushed and he held the covers over himself in a death grip.

 

April looked at him up and down and then snorted loudly with laughter.

 

“April…” Casey said through his teeth.

 

“Come on Shadow, lets get you a towel and I will show you how to work our old shower!”

 

Casey sighed in relief as his little sister left the doorway. After a moment April returned with a wide grin on her face.

 

“Maybe I should have let _you_ take a shower first! A _cold_ shower!”

 

“God, this is embarrassing…”

 

“Isn’t it normal for guys to get morning wood?” She flashed him a sly smile laying on her side in the bed.

 

“Its not that uncommon, but with you hanging around in your cute little underwear I can’t seem to get it to go away…”

 

“I’m surprised you still have enough blood to fill your cheeks!” She pulled the covers away from him.

 

“H-Hey!” He snatched them back from her.

 

“Don’t be stilly.” She continued to smile, clearly enjoying herself. “I’m going to help.”

 

“B-but Shadow…”

 

“Will be in the bathroom for at _least_ ten minutes.”

 

“Ten minutes isn’t enough time for both of us to-“

 

“Who said anything about _both_ of us?”

 

“I couldn’t ask you to…”

 

“I kind of feel like it right now.” She smiled crawling towards him. “I’ve never gotten you off like this before. I can’t promise I’m all that good at it, but maybe you can tell me if I’m doing it right.” She pulled back the elastic of his boxers freeing him from his clothing.

 

Casey swallowed a lump in his throat. He was nervous with his sister awake but after seeing her crawl across the bed like that towards him he knew it wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. And he would be lying if he said he wasn’t excited.

 

April put her fingers gently around him and kissed up from the base of his cock towards the tip. She licked him a little as she got to the top and glanced up at his heated expression.

 

“I don’t think its ever been this hard before.” She smiled.

 

“Y-yea, me neither…”

 

“So stiff, does it hurt?” She asked with genuine curiosity.

 

“Kinda…” he nodded covering his flushed face with his hand.

 

She put her mouth gently over the tip of him nuzzling his head with her lips and tongue. She hummed lightly as she pushed him a little further into her mouth, the vibration from her voice teasing his stiff trembling dick. Casey shut his eyes tightly as she swallowed nearly half the length of him, wetting him with her saliva as she pulled him out of her mouth. She licked her wet lips and stoked him, lathering him with the lubrication her tongue had provided.

 

“Its kind of fascinating.” She looked up at him from under her eyebrows.

 

He had to turn away from her sexual gaze. The pain of the tight erection growing slightly greater as she merely teased him with her touch.

 

“Its fun to see how you react to different things.” She ran her index finger down his wetted cock pressing against the ridge that ran the length of him.

 

“A-April…I-I can’t…” He reached forward and began to stroke himself but she pushed his hand away.

 

“Don’t worry. We’re getting to that.” She smiled.

 

His chest rose and fell heavily as she finally took as much of him into her mouth as she could. He leaned heavily on his palms, arms propping his upper body off the bed. Locking his elbows was all he could do to keep himself from collapsing. Her lips stroked him, the wet sensation of her tongue muscles on the bottom side of his shaft felt amazing. He felt like the rest of his body simply stopped existing. April took her head away from him and took a deep breath looking him in the eyes as she wiped the corner of her mouth on the back of her hand.

 

“This is kind of exhausting!” She grinned. “If it wasn’t for the look on your face I’m not sure it would be wort it!”

 

“Its worth it to me.” Every word came out of him like a breath, his expression pleading with her not to stop.

 

She put her hand on his bare chest, the same devilish smile that had him so excited still on her face. She pushed him backwards. He unlocked his elbows allowing his shoulders to fall onto the bed. He looked up at the ceiling as he felt her take him once more. With her lips running over the head of his cock and her fingers gripping the bottom he felt himself growing closer to relief. He lifted his head enough to look down at her. Her lips matching the shape of him as they moved up and down. With a quick glance up at him she moaned, once more sending a wave of euphoric vibrations into him through her lips and tongue.

 

Casey gripped the bed with both hands. The fire in him wanted to take her by the hair and thrust in to her. But he wouldn’t. He was afraid he could hurt her. Maybe some day, but their sexual relationship was still young. The thought of doing more things with her in the future was what filled his head just before his mind went blank with euphoria.

 

“Ahh! Ahhnnn!” Casey tilted his head backwards into the pillow arching his back as his legs trembled.

 

Aprils lips were still upon him as he felt himself come into her mouth.

 

“I’m sorry, I should have warned you!” He said as she sat backwards on the bed holding her palms upward like a plate.

 

She opened her mouth letting the pearly smear roll down her tongue into her hands. He stared in awe for a moment as she glanced at him with her big eyes.

 

“Sh-shit…”

 

April looked puzzled. Casey was hardly good mannered but he didn’t often swear in front of her. But she looked so lewd and he felt so full of passion to see her like that. To see his cum dripping out of her. He had just finished but he knew if he let himself stare he would become hard all over again. He shook his head and turned to the bed stand grabbing the box of tissues and cleaning her hands.

 

“I think I’m a little too attracted to you sometimes…” He said avoiding looking her in the eyes as he crumpled one tissue and reached for another. “You…You’re so sexy…the things I want to do to you…” The corner of his mouth twitched into a half smile.

 

“You think thats because you’re _too attracted_ to me? Because I have news for you Jones. I want to do things to you too.” She took a clean tissue from the box and wiped her mouth with it. “Today was just the tip of the iceberg. We’re still young. There is lots of exploring to do.”

 

He leaned forward and kissed her lips. She blushed that he would so freely kiss her after she had just wiped his cum off her mouth.

 

“That is, so long as you don’t die… _again._ ”

 

“I hate to tell you this Red, but if you keep giving me reasons not to die I may just have to stick around a while longer.” He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as he got out of bed and fished his pants from beneath it.

 

“You guys are gross.” Shadow appeared in the doorway again a towel wrapped around her.

 

“H-how long have you been there!?!” Casey stepped backwards buckling his pants quickly.

 

“I came in right around the time April said _I’ve got news for you Jones._ You know, I would appreciate it if you didn’t call him by his last name. I have to share it with him!” She smiled.

 

“Shadow!” Casey threw a pillow at her as she rushed away from the door laughing.

 

“I guess _that_ cat is kind of out of the bag…” April blushed.

 

“Whatever. I’m just glad she didn’t _see_ anything.”

 


	11. Chapter 11

“She’s really nice Case.” Shadow mused after several moments in silence on their walk home.

 

“April?”

 

“No, you’re other girlfriend.” She rolled her eyes. “She…She hugged me. I’m surprised how much better it made me feel.”

 

“Yea.” He smiled. “She has a way of doing that.”

 

“How’d you trick her in to dating you?”

 

“Shadow, your brother is actually quite the smooth criminal.”

 

“Just criminal.”

 

He grinned and put his hand on her head messing up her dark brown hair. Shadow looked a lot like their mom. Her hair was a bit darker and she acted much more like her father and brother, but there was no mistaking that straight silky hair and round freckled cheeks. Her large almond eyes and dark lashes always made him feel safe and wanted the way his mothers had.

 

She straightened the mess of her hair grumbling to herself about her stupid brother, unaware he was marveling at his luck at having her as part of his family. As soon as she had finished grooming Casey put his arm around her shoulder pulling her into a one armed side hug.

 

“Get off!” She complained.

 

“Nope. You’re just gonna have to deal with it.”

 

“Deal with what?”

 

“A doting big brother. Not to mention how happy I am that you like my girlfriend.”

 

“You say ‘doting’ I say ‘annoying’! Can I trade you in for April?”

 

“You can try but I doubt mr. O’Neil would think that was a good deal.”

 

“What if I thew dad in? Then do you think he’d go for it?”

 

Casey laughed at his sister joke knowing she meant no harm. But secretly it wounded him. After all the work they had done as a family, after his father had come so far with his sobriety, it had all been undone in one night. Just like that they were broken again.

 

“Let me go in first.” Casey cautioned as they reached the apartment door.

 

The smell of delicious food filled the air as they entered the kitchen.

 

“Oh, good. I was hoping you’d come home.”

 

Arnold Jones was in the kitchen wearing oven mitts and an old novelty apron. There weren’t many things Mr. Jones was good at but he was actually a great cook. Seeing him in the strange outfit was a huge relief to his children. Cooking a nice meal for them was his way of making amends for what he was sure was a terrible night. Often it took weeks to get him to a point where he could cook for them, but after his year of sobriety it appeared he had no intention of staying off the horse. His eyes had heavy bags under them and his cheeks were a bit sunken. It was clear he was hungover and not feeling well, but they appreciated his gesture all the same.

 

“I made your favorites…” He said nervously motioning to the nicely set table. “Shadow you get chicken and potatoes and Casey you get steak and green beans. What do you think?”

 

“It looks great dad!” Casey sat excitedly looking at the marvelous place setting.

 

As usual Shadow was a bit harder to convince. Her father knelt on the ground in front of her and looked her straight in the eyes.

 

“I-I’m sorry sweet heart…I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I hope you can at least enjoy this apology…”

 

“Are you staying in the program?” She asked stoically.

 

“My counselor was here an hour ago. Took my chip. I’m not giving up on the program. This is the longest I have been sober since your mother died. And as discouraging it is to have to start over I am mostly happy that I’ve made the progress I have. I’m not quitting Shadow. I’m gonna make it two years next time. But I’m shooting for forever, of course. “

 

Shadow threw her arms around her fathers neck and cried a little. He picked her up and carried her to the table.

 

“Hungry?” He asked as she still clung to his neck.

 

She nodded into his shoulder and he placed her in her chair. She wiped her eyes quickly pushing the tears aside. Casey acted like he didn’t notice the entire interaction but Shadow could see him smiling down at his plate, and not just for the food.

 

“How are you doing Case? You ok? Not hurt?” His father asked hesitantly.

 

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Casey almost bragged taking a large bite of steak.

 

“…well, I’m glad your ok…” Mr. Jones turned back to his own plate and ate quietly for a moment. “Where did you guys stay last night?”

 

Casey hesitated for a moment. “At my friend Aprils.”

 

“Oh? That nice girl who tutors you? Yea her father called when you were missing. Well I’m glad you had someplace safe to go. You’ve been hanging out with that girl a lot lately Casey.” He looked up at his son chugging a large glass of water. “You guys dating?”

 

Casey coughed into his cup spraying water all down his front. Shadow chuckled at his reaction.

 

“So I guess thats a yes.” Mr. Jones smiled.

 

He looked at his plate again with a soft, almost sad, grin. Despite the trouble he had caused his family his son was progressing like any normal kid. He had a girlfriend who he clearly cared about and who cared about him. It was more than a father like him could even hope for his son.

 

“Its good that you’re seeing someone Case. I’m happy for you. And I’m glad they were accommodating of Shadow.”

 

“I’ve seen more of _both_ of them than I ever wanted to!” Shadow laughed.

 

Casey’s eyes widened in shock as he kicked his sisters legs under the table.

 

“Ow! I-oh…” She looked over at her dad who had a look of surprise on his face.

 

Shadow and Casey quickly occupied themselves, looking down at their plates. They shoveled food into their mouths quickly hoping to avoid any questions their father may have on the subject. After a moment of quiet shock Mr. Jones simply broke down and laughed. Not quite hysterically, but certainly uncontrolled. He held his hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle his laughter. Casey and Shadow felt smiles creeping over their own faces at his reaction.

 

Mr. Jones steered the direction in the conversation away from Casey’s relationship. After a nice talk with their father and having finished their plates Mr. Jones asked his daughter to clear the table and put the dishes in the washer. Normally she would have argued. She hated doing dishes, but there was no doubt that he intended to talk to Casey about the private information she had let slip. And she really hoped to not be around to catch her brothers angry stare.

 

“So things are going well with April?” He asked after Shadow was out of earshot.

 

“I guess.” Casey couldn’t hide his smile.

 

“I’m glad you are able to have a pretty normal life in spite of what I’ve put you through.”

 

“Yea.” His face fell slightly, partially at the guilt of his father not knowing of his vigilante life, partially because he wasn’t going to let his dad off the hook so easily.

 

“So its kind of hot and heavy?”

 

“Dad!”

 

“What? Its normal for a boy your age to be…hot and heavy…”

 

Casey put his elbows on the table and hid his eyes with his hands in embarrassment.

 

“Are you guys being safe?”

 

“What?”

 

“You know, birth control.”

 

Casey wanted to hide from embarrassment again but he was unable to think of anything but the fact that he and April really _weren’t_ being safe. Noticing his sons expression Mr. Jones quietly opened his wallet and removed a $50. He slid it along the table bringing it to rest in front of his son.

 

“The pharmacy is open for a couple more hours. I know it can be embarrassing to buy them but its more embarrassing to be a teenage father over something so simple.” Mr Jones cleared his throat. “Keep the change. Use it for more later if you need them. And if you need more cash to buy condoms-“

 

“Dad!”

 

“-just let me know.”

 

“…thanks dad…” Casey took the money quietly off the table and stood up.

 

“Hey Casey.” He stopped his son as he walked by with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I’m proud of you, you know that? You’re a good kid and I know you will treat that girl right. Your mom would be proud of you too. Prouder than she would be of me.”

 

Casey looked up at Shadow, still occupied with the dishes. He knelt down and hugged his dad.

 

“I’m going to go for a walk and call my sponsor while your gone.” He said making good on his promise to not be alone with Shadow. “Call me when you get back.”

 

“Stay out of the bars.” Casey put a firm hand on his shoulder just before they parted ways at the door step.

 


	12. Chapter 12

Casey sighed standing in front of the “family planning” isle then again later standing in front of the condoms. So many brands, so many packages. Were the colorful ones better? Or the flavored ones? What the hell did ‘ribbed’ mean? One package was bright with colorful spiraling ribbons on the box. The other was black and professional looking with gold letters. Did he need the regular ones or the bigger ones? He blushed.

 

Reaching for the brand he knew best, that came in a multipack for options, he wished he was there with April so they could joke and figure out which ones to get together. He turned his head down to the floor and traipsed to the cash register, though he was seriously considering larceny. As he rounded the corner out of the horribly named isle he ran straight into the red-haired girl he had been hoping to see. 

 

“April?!?”

 

“C-Casey!?!”

 

He positioned his hands over the box to hide his purchase but noticed she was hiding some items of her own behind her.

 

“What you got there Red?” He raised an eyebrow.

 

“What do _you_ have Jones?”

 

“…Same time?”

 

“Plan B…And a diaphragm…” She confessed.

 

“Babe, you should have told me! I’d have paid for that…”

 

“No way! After all, last night was _my_ stupid idea. What do you say we just buy our own stuff this time and next time we’ll go dutch?”

 

He smiled sweetly at her just as she reached out and punched him for calling her babe. He rubbed his arm as he revealed to her the box in his hands. She snorted briefly covering her mouth.

 

“What prompted you to buy that?” She asked still smiling.

 

“You’re not going to like it…” He confessed. “Shadow kinda spilled the beans to my dad...”

 

“What!?!”

 

A woman walking by them in the pharmacy shot her a disapproving look as she shouted.

 

“What do you mean she spilled the beans?” April whispered embarrassed at her involuntary outburst.

 

“Well she didn’t straight up say ‘hey dad Casey is having sex with his girlfriend’ but she did sort of…mention us…being a little…naked…together.”

 

Casey was certain that he watched the redness rise from her neck all the way up to the top of her head like a loony toons character. Steam was practically coming out her ears.

 

“Its ok! Dad laughed! He laughed and gave me a brief lecture about being ‘safe’ and then sent me out with a $50! Besides, you’ve never even really _met_ my dad.”

 

“S-still…” She looked away shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her red-flushed ears.

 

“Do you want to?” He asked.

 

“Huh?”

 

“Meet him. My dad.”

 

“I…I don’t know Casey…After everything that happened yesterday I can’t see myself being…polite…”

 

“I understand. But, you should meet him someday. You know. When he’s sober. I want you to see him when he’s…not a monster.”

 

April looked up at him. He looked so pitiful. That is to say, she was full of pity for him. He had a way of looking like a little boy when he was upset.

 

“When is a good time?” She asked trying not to sound bothered about it.

 

“How would you feel about tonight?”

 

“I can’t promise I’ll be nice…”

 

“I’m…actually ok with that… but maybe…try to?”

 

“Casey you can’t get those condoms.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Because I don’t want to taste like a banana.”

 

“I like bananas.” He gave her a wide grin raising an eyebrow.

 


	13. Chapter 13

“I’m almost home” Casey spoke into his phone. “If you head back now you should get there right after we do. Yea, April is with me. I wanted you to meet her. Yea she knows. I know its hard dad, but its important to me. Ok, see you soon.”

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” April wrung her hands together as they walked towards his apartment.

 

“April…” Casey stopped her and looked her in the eyes.”I really appreciate you doing this, and…not to hold it over your head but…after this we’re square. On the whole telling the guys thing…” He looked away and rubbed his neck awkwardly.

 

“I understand Casey. I do, honest. I’m just nervous because…” She reached up and removed his bandana.

 

He closed his eyes as if taking it off was painful. She brushed his bangs aside and looked at his scarred head. She ran her hand down from his forehead to his cheek. He turned his head towards her hand, savoring her touch.

 

“I’m nervous because after learning what he did to you I can’t think of any scenario where I would like that man. And I know you want me to like him.”

 

“You don’t have to like him if you don’t want to. I just want you to see that he’s human.”

 

“Then I will.” She wrapped his bangs between her fingers and messed up his hair.

 

He smiled back at her from under his messy mop. Casey opened the door to the apartment, Shadow rounded the corner as they entered.

 

“What is she doing here?” She asked shocked to see April.

 

“She’s…going to meet dad.”

 

“After the other night!?!”

 

“Yea, Shadow, look…Its important to clear the air. You know as well as I do that dad has his problems but when he’s sober he’s a good guy.”

 

“Yea but I still don’t bring my friends over! I mean, you won’t even let _me_ be alone with dad!”

 

“She won’t be alone!” Casey took Aprils hand. “Shadow, dad isn’t going to hurt any one ever again.”

 

“He hurt you _yesterday_!” She pointed at Casey’s head.

 

Casey had sustained a cut to his temple that had begun to bruise from the other night. He had done a pretty good job hiding it with his bangs but when April had rustled his hair it had been uncovered.

 

“I mean no one _else_.”

 

“You think you aren’t part of this? You think that so long as it happens to _you_ he’s not really hurting anyone?!?”

 

“Shadow where are you going with this? Do you want to go into foster care? Because that is the only other option.”

 

“I want you to acknowledge that you are also a casualty of this…I want you to protect yourself the same way you protect me…and April…” She began to cry.

 

Casey could only stare at her, he didn’t know what to say.

 

“I’m home! Hey guys…? Whats going on?” Mr. Jones saw Shadow crying.

 

She disappeared from sight as she ran to her bedroom.

 

“Shadow!” Casey reached out a hand and began to run after her but stopped.

 

He turned to look at April and then his father.

 

“Its ok Casey. Go talk to her. I’ll stay here with your dad.”

 

Casey hesitated looking between the two of them. Mr.Jones looked nervous. He knew his son was afraid to leave his girlfriend alone with his violent father, and it hurt.

 

“Casey.” She walked up to him and looked him directly in the eye. “I can handle myself.” She said with confidence. “Go. Shadow is upset.”

 

It was clear that Casey was still torn, but looking into her eyes gave him certainty. With a cautionary glance at his father he hurried to his sisters room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in case I hadn't made it clear before, this story is not mean to excuse the behaviors of an abusive parent but rather to show that things aren't always easy with this subject matter.  
> People are rarely all good or all bad. People have their flaws and when it comes to family members we have to work around them. I hope that comes through in this story.


	14. Chapter 14

“It’s nice to meet you.” Mr. Jones said quietly. “Can I get you something to drink?”

 

“No.” Her response was short and curt.

 

“Would you…like to sit in the living room?” He gestured.

 

She said nothing so he lead the way. He made sure to give her a great deal of space. He sat in the furthest chair in the furnished parlor allowing her to sit in the opposite.

 

“I’m guessing Casey fed you the same line he fed me. That this is important to him.”

 

“He did.”

 

“So, you know the whole story don’t you?”

 

“Yes. Shadow told me the other night. Sorry about your arm.” She sounded insincere as she pointed to the bandage over his wounded forearm.

 

For a moment Mr. Jones was shocked. He hadn’t realized that she had been there. He assumed he had sustained the injury during his angry storm. It wasn’t uncommon for him to attack furniture, or throw dishes. He had injured himself that way before.

 

“You…you saw me that night?”

 

“You were about to punch Casey. I couldn’t stand by and do nothing…”

 

“As much as I hate that someone Casey cares about had to see me that way… I’m glad you are concerned for him.”

 

“I love Casey. He’s an amazing person. A hero. He has saved my life before. Its not easy for me to sit here having seen what you’ve done to him, but…”

 

“That look he has. Its like puppy eyes.” Mr. Jones smiled. “His mother could do it too. Heaven help me if Shadow ever learns how…”

 

“Shadow is upset that Casey brought me here.”

 

“She doesn’t like _anyone_ to come here. Not after that night…Its strange to both Casey and I because even though we were there neither of us remember it. When I woke up I was on a park bench covered in vomit and blood. I was horrified to learn that the blood belonged to my son…” He put his head into his hands losing his composure for a moment. He swallowed the lump in his throat with difficulty and then sat up, his eyes glossy and sad but unwavering from their stare.

 

“I want you to tell me more about that night.”

 

“I don’t remember…”

 

“No, the night after.”

 

“…we spent the night in the hospital. Shadow was asleep in an armchair the nurses had brought in for her, I was sitting by Casey’s bed. He hadn’t woken up yet. When I arrived at the hospital he had just gotten out of emergency surgery. He was listed in critical condition. Do you know what that means? I had heard it in medical shows before, but seeing it on paper was…horrifying. I’ll never forget those words written on the sheet at the end of his bed…V _ital signs unstable, not within normal limits. Patient unconscious. Indicators are unfavorable._

“I asked a nurse about it later. I asked them to tell me the truth. Critical condition is the stage before death. My son was about to die and I did it to him. If he had died I would be a murderer. After a while his vital signs evened out and were listed as stable but it was some time after that before he woke up. He was in a coma for 2 days.”

 

Mr. Jones looked down at the carpet. His eyes were blank as if he had gone through that day so many times in his head that it was like replaying a movie to him. His expression was sad, but mostly April could tell that the memory exhausted him.

 

“When he woke up I cried so much the nurses actually put me on an I.V drip. Though it may have also had something to do with the fact that I barely ate or drank while he was unconscious…”

 

“Shadow said you wanted to turn yourself in. Is that true?”

 

“It was the first thing that came to mind after my daughter shrunk away at the sight of me. She was so scared…The only reason I didn’t confess then and there was I wanted to make sure he woke up. I wanted to know he was going to live. It was probably selfish of me but, I couldn’t have lived with myself if I wasn’t there with him those two days he was unconscious. Even after Casey and Shadow made the decision not to go into foster care I had trouble with it. For days we discussed what would happen if I turned myself in. Ultimately the kids decided that wasn’t what they wanted. I didn’t want them to be separated either. But with no living relatives there was really no option other than living with me or foster care. Casey said I had to do what they wanted. That I owed them. And he was right.”

 

“So you joined the program…”

 

“Alcoholics Anonymous isn’t an overnight solution. I still found myself drunk a couple of nights. Not necessarily drunk enough to take a swing at him or destroy the apartment, but I still had a hard time with it.”

 

“Why? Why did you have to drink so much?” 

 

He was surprised that her voice conveyed a genuine question rather than an accusation. 

 

“…It was my wife. She saved my life too you know. After I was injured and couldn’t play hockey anymore I got depressed. I even attempted suicide. My life was over. But Sarah…Sarah wouldn’t let me go. She took a liking to me and by the time we got married she was my new reason to live. I see her face every time I close my eyes. And it hurts. So I try to numb the pain.”

 

For a moment Casey’s plan had actually worked. April felt sorry for him. At the very least she understood a little. She remembered the week she thought Casey was dead. Her nightmares, the emotional pain. She would have taken physical pain over that any day. So at the very least she could understand the hurt of losing his wife.

 

“But you shouldn’t have taken it out on your son.” She thought out loud to herself.

 

“You’re right… Have you ever read the mysterious case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?”

 

“No, but I’ve heard of it.” 

 

“Most people have. Its actually a decent read. I’ve never been a very book smart man. Unfortunately Casey and I share that trait. But Sarah and Shadow? They’re as clever as they come. One of Sarah’s hobbies was collecting books.” He pointed to a bookshelf near the parlor alcove. “She didn’t like just any books, she liked classics. And she liked finding old ones. She would go to old book stores and find books that she said had ‘character’.”

 

Mr. Jones walked to the book shelf and removed a particularly beat up book.

 

“When I joined the program my sponsor recommended a hobby to keep my mind off of drinking. I thought to myself, I have all of Sarahs books, I may as well read them. She loved the smell of these old books. I never knew it before, but apparently _most_ book enthusiast love the way old books smell. Its kind of musty and it has a particular scent that is undeniably recognizable.”

 

He opened the book, the smell wafting into the air.

 

“That has never been an ‘old book’ smell to me.” He looked April in the eyes. “You see…Sarah smelled like this all the time. These old books were her perfume. God, looking at these books now…I’m ashamed of myself again. I had come so far without a drink…I’ve ruined it.” He paused for a long moment looking at the book. “Jeckyll and Hyde…The good and bad sides of a man separated by a mysterious elixir.” He looked up at her. “Can you see why I relate to it?” His eyes were glossy with hints of tears. 

 

He inhaled deeply and put the book back on the shelf. “I’m sorry April. I don’t mean to drone on. I’m not trying to win you to my side or anything. Just trying to tell it…Is there anything else you’d like to know? I’m an open book.” 

 

“Well, I can guarantee that you’re not going to win me to your ‘side’… But, I understand you a little better now. My dad had this…medical issue… a while back. It was bad enough that anyone would call him a monster, but I knew my dad was still in there. And he got better. So at the very least, I can understand the hope that Casey holds on to. Because he knows that you are still the dad he loves...”

 

Mr. Jones was speechless. He turned away from her and wiped his eyes.

 

“S-so…Casey has this rule that I’m not allowed to be home alone with Shadow. Its probably best if I stick to that rule with you too. He’s sacrificed a lot for this family already…”

 

“Mr. Jones?” 

 

“Please, call me Arnold. Or Arn.”

 

“Casey is a tough kid. I’m certain at this point he can hold his own against you when you’re that far gone. And Shadow is a tough girl. She’s capable of getting herself to safety when she needs to. But I am not like either of them. I may not have the physical strength of Casey, or the instincts of Shadow. But I don’t need them. Believe me when I say, I can fight for myself. And if I _ever_ happen to see you raise your hand to your kids again…Well, you won’t get away with just a scratch…” She looked at his bandaged arm.

 

He nodded silently. Something about the look in her eyes told him that not only was she telling the truth about her ability to overpower him, but he heard her voice in his head…As if she weren’t onlyspeaking with her lips but with her mind as well. And yet he was comforted. There were so many people in the world that his son was looking out for. It was nice to know someone was looking out for him.

 


	15. Chapter 15

“I can’t help if you won’t talk to me Shady.”

 

Casey sister growled into her pillow.

 

“Why do you always call me that?”

 

“Its cool don’t you think?” He knew she didn’t. “Shadow, Shady…or do you prefer Sarah?”

 

In a flash Shadow lifted her head in rage, her fist flying towards his face. Casey easily leaned his head to the side and avoided it. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her expression slowly faded from one of rage to deep sadness. 

 

“How do you always doge my punches?” She wept.

 

“I’m a hockey player.” 

 

_I’m a vigilante superhero._

 

“Are you sure its not sparring with dad?” She ran her nose over her sleeve. “Casey…bad things have happened to us. We have had to change our entire lifestyle because of it. I’m happy that you have a girlfriend but…don’t bring her into this. She deserves better.”

 

“Better than dad? Or better than me?” He asked his voice rising in decibel. 

 

“Better than whatever the life you and I live is. She could have a normal life…”

 

Caseys anger turned into amazement. He began to laugh.

 

“Its not funny Casey…! I’m serious…! Stop!!! ARNOLD.”

 

Casey stopped. “Ok…” He said quietly. “I called you by your first name and you called me by mine. We’re even now…Truce?”

 

“At least until we can have our first names legally changed to our middle names…”

 

“Yea, why do we hate them so much again?”

 

“Because you’re named after dad and I’m named after mom. _My_ name constantly reminds me that she’s dead and I’m worried that whenever dad hears it he’s going to go on a bender and beat the snot out of you. You hate _your_ name because despite the fact that you love him for being your father you resent him for all he has put us through and you’re horrified you’ll grow up to be like him.”

 

“Damn Shady…I was being sarcastic…You don’t have to go all mind freak on me…”

 

“We’ve been studying psychology in school…”

 

“Yea, you may be kind of good at it. Just point the gun away from _me_ next time ok?”

 

“Fine… _Casey_ Jones.”

 

“Good, _Shadow_ Jones.”

 

He glanced at her. Her cheeks were pink from crying and wiping away her tears for the past 24 hours. He hated to see her worried. He hated it mostly because she was worried about _him._ He didn’t know what he would do without her. All these years anyone that ever found out about their dad looked at him with eyes full of condescending pity. But not her. With Shadow he could tell the difference. Shadow’s eyes showed worry. And even though her emotions were more genuine than any pitiful glance…it hurt him even more to worry his sister.

 

“Shadow…I’ve changed a lot in the past four years...”

 

“I know. Its not your fault.”

 

“No, I- well yes, the brain damage is certainly part of it, but I mean more than that. I’m stronger now.”

 

“We both are.”

 

“No, Shadow I’m trying to _tell_ you something!”

 

There was a knock at the door. April cracked it open cautiously.

 

“Oh good, April I’d like to talk to you.” Shadow put on her most mature voice. “I don’t want you to take offense to this, and I hope you understand that its for your own good, but you shouldn’t come here any more.”

 

“Shadow stop!”

 

“No Casey! I know you think that because of hockey you’re some tough guy but thats just not how it works! Dad threw you into a table before and it could happen again! I’m TERRIFIED that it will happen again! You and I chose to stay a family! But we can’t bring other people into-“

 

“Shadow.” April calmly interrupted. “I think I know what Casey was going to tell you when I came in.” She looked at Casey. “Lets take her to the lair.”

 

“The wha-?”

 

“Are you sure? Should I warn the guys? No, wait, I decided. _This_ is how I’m going to get them back. Put your boots on Shady. It gets a little messy down there.”

 


	16. Chapter 16

“Guys…this went way past weird like… ten minutes ago…”

 

“Be patient Shadow we’re almost there.”

 

They slugged through the sewer water until they reached a dry tunnel and began their walk towards the turnstiles.

 

“I feel bad that we aren’t going to tell them we’re bringing her…”

 

“I don’t. Besides, she’s my sister, not an alien Krang robot.”

 

“Ok, _ouch._ ”

 

Shadow looked around the common room and marveled at the cozy living space before her. 

 

“Woah…this room is bigger than our whole apartment!”

 

“Yea, and better furnished.” Casey joked.

 

“So what is this? Your clubhouse? How did you build such a great place down here?”

 

“Hear that guys? She thinks its great! You can come out!” Casey said loudly.

 

“Who are you talking to? This place is empty.”

 

“Thats what they _want_ you to think!”

 

“Oh god…Casey, who are ‘they’? Aliens?”

 

“Turtles.” Said Donnie appearing out of nowhere behind her.

 

She turned and gave a short scream as she backed away from him.

 

“Teenagers!” Mikey dropped from the ceiling, hanging upside-down by his kisarigama.

 

“Ninjas.” Leo stepped out of the darkened corner and crossed his arms in a leader-ly fashion. 

 

“Angry!” Raph darted out and hit Casey on the back of the head.

 

“Actually _he’s_ the only angry one.” Mikey whispered in her ear. “Raph! You were supposed to say _mutants!_ Everyone get back into hiding! Casey, bring her in again and we’ll do it over.”

 

She spun away from him, frightened, backing towards the exit.

 

“Casey…what the hell?”

 

“Sorry Shadow!” April walked towards her with her hands out non threateningly. “With everything going on we just wanted to show you that not only is Casey much more capable of handling your father than he used to be, but you have nothing to worry about with me either! This is where Casey and I spend most of our time. These are our friends. Donatello, Michaelangelo, Leonardo and Raphael.”

 

“W-which one is which?”

 

“We come color coded for your convenience! I’m Michaelangelo. But you can call me Mikey! Or…MIKE! Blech, no, sounds to office and tie…Mikey. Call me Mikey.”

 

“He’s the fun one.” April whispered with a smile.

 

“You must be Shadow. Its nice to finally meet you. Casey talks about you a lot. I’m glad we get to meet in person.” Leonardo bowed to her slightly.

 

“I guess that makes you the polite one huh?” Shadow asked still clearly weirded out.

 

“Actually he’s the group leader. Leo.” April put her hand on Shadows shoulder in an attempt to reassure her.

 

“I’m Donatello, I’m the-“

 

“Smart one?”

 

“Yes! How did you know?”

 

“D-Donnie? I think you fell asleep on your keyboard again…” April pointed to the checker pattern on his face.

 

“Yea, an you have a bit of wire sticking out of your shirt- I mean…shell…” Shadow pointed. “Which only leaves…” 

 

They all turned towards Raph and Casey whose argument had turned into a wrestling match as they rolled about the floor biting each others elbows and fingers as punches flew wildly.

 

“Believe it or not Shadow…That is your brothers best friend…”

 

“Oh, I believe it. He’s had friends before…They just usually stop coming around after Casey wins the fight…”

 

“Don’t worry little lady. I always win the fight.” Raphael smiled as he sat on Casey’s back grinding his cheek into the cold concrete floor.

 

“Which I suppose is why they make such great friends…” April grimaced as the two continued to fight.

 

“Ok…But how the hell did you end up with mutant turtle friends?”

 

“ _Ninja.”_ Michaelangelo interjected. “That part’s important.”

 

Ok…How did you end up with _ninja_ mutant turtle friends?”

 

“Well… we met April when the Krang hive-mind tried to kidnap her and her father…” Donnie recalled.

 

“We met Casey when he tried to kill Raph.” Mikey pointed to the two who were still fighting.

 

“What?!?” Shadow roared.

 

“He was a mutant!” Casey objected from under Raphs arm. “I never figured he was part of the fix! I just thought he was part of the problem!”

 

“What was your _goal_ Casey? To fight all the mutants terrorizing the city single handedly?”

 

Casey looked at his sister confused for a moment. “Yes. Obviously.”

 

Shadow sighed and rubbed her palm against her eye. “Whatever. It worked out ok I guess… These guys are cool?”

 

“The coolest!” Mikey smiled.

 

“Casey?” Shadow approached her brother and hauled him to his feet as Raph stepped away. “Why did you bring me here?”

 

“To show you April and I are tough. We can take care of ourselves. You don’t need to worry about me or her having trouble with dad because we’ve faced worse.”

 

“Friendly mutant ninja turtles?” 

 

“More like unfriendly Aliens and evil ninja clans. Shadow, I know growing up dad was a force I couldn’t overcome. But not anymore.”

 

Shadow looked up at her brother with a sad shocked expression, but it slowly melted into a tearful smile. She slowly stepped forward and put her arms around her brothers chest and hugged him gently. Casey stood awkwardly for a moment as his sisters tears soaked the front of it hoodie. He felt her hug tighten on him a little as he returned her embrace. 

 

“I’m glad you’re ok Casey.” She said quietly. 

 

“I’m fine Shady. I’ve _been_ fine…”

 

“No you haven’t. I can tell when you’re ok and when you’re not. But for a long time now you have been ok and I just haven’t been able to admit it.”

 

“Shadow? Are…are _you_ ok?”

 

“No. I think I was projecting my own problems on to you Casey…”

 

“Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?”

 

“I think you just did.”

 

“Did what?”

 

“I’ll explain it to you later.” April came up behind her confused boyfriend. Her cheeks were wet and she had clearly been crying at their family display.

 


	17. Chapter 17

Shadow lay sprawled out asleep on the floor of the lair in front of the TV. Mikey had fallen asleep a few feet away from her with a controller still in his hands. The rest of the guys had gone to bed and April and Casey were the only ones left on the couch.

 

“She’s beat.” Casey looked contentedly at his sleeping sister. “I think this week has been a bit much for her. You’d be surprised how tough it is to get used to a _dad week_ after him being better for so long.”

 

“A dad week?” 

 

“Thats what we used to call his episodes.”

 

“I-I see…I guess I’m still getting used to it.”

 

“Don’t worry, its much more rare lately. We honestly thought maybe we were done with them for good.”

 

“You’re so casual about the fact that your father tried to injure you…you must have grown a thick skin. After the story Shadow told me…isn’t it hard to hear him say terrible things to you? To hear him blame your for your mothers death?”

 

Casey smiled with blank eyes. “He doesn’t blame me. Or Shadow. My mom was _born_ with a weak heart. She knew that having kids was risky for her, but she wanted a family. She used to say she loved us from the moment she was born. I would always say _you mean from the moment WE were born?_ And she would say no, she had loved us her whole life, before we were even an idea. My dad can scream all he wants when he’s drunk, but he won’t make that any less true.

“He only blames us because the person he really wants to blame is her. He wants to scream at her for not being there for him. But he can’t accept that. He loves her. So when he’s drunk he lashes out at everyone. He’s hurt _himself_ while drunk too you know.”

 

“He did?”

 

“He broke a couple of mirrors on a few occasions. But the worst part was when he would pick up the broken glass and crush it in his hands to make himself bleed…”

 

April looked at him with sad shock.

 

“Hes a damaged person. And with this big old scar on my head its probably hard for you to see that. But…I love my father April…And I know he loves me.”

 

“Hes…just not as strong as you.”

 

“That sounds like something my mom would say.”

 

“She sounds like a smart lady.”

 

“She was. And I hardly want to date my mom, but if the one thing you have in common with her is that you’re smart I think I’m doing ok.”

 

“Well, you’re nothing like _my_ father because you’re dumb as a hockey puck.”

 

“You know it!” Casey said proudly planting a loud kiss on her lips.

 

“Mmmnnnn…Casey?” Shadow stirred. “I had a weird dream that there were turtles…Oh, that parts real…” She looked over at Mikey drooling into the carpet.

 

“Get some good sleep?”

 

“Good as its going to get on a sewer floor…”

 

“Couch is better.” Michelangelo rolled over scratching the backside of his shell.

 

“You guys still here? Isn’t it kinda late?” Donatello emerged from his lab.

 

“Nah, I spend most nights away from home anyway.” Shadow brushed thick locks of dark hair out of her face.

 

“Oh right…Not that I plan for it to come up but in case of an emergency-?”

 

“Sure, she’s welcome here.” Donnie referred to shadow. “I mean, she would have been anyway if we had known you…needed a place…”

 

“We didn’t!” It was hard to get out of the habit of covering up for her fathers abuse. “This hasn’t happened in a long time!”

 

“I-I understand…I just want you to know you’re welcome here…”

 

“Thanks Donnie.” Casey said sincerely as April leaned heavily into him. “Wow, I think she’s spent too now…Shady? Do you mind hanging around here for a sec while I get her home?”

 

“No, I don’t mind.” She smiled, happy to see her brother in such a strange peaceful setting.

 

Casey carried April carefully past the turnstiles. Setting her on her feet on the other side, she leaned against him heavily as they made their way down the sewer tunnel.

 

“So, Shady do you-?”

 

“Only my brother gets to call me that.” She said shortly.

 

“Right. Sorry. Shadow…” Donnie trailed off assuming his attempt at conversation had been shut down.

 

“So its just you and your brothers down here?” She broke the awkward silence.

 

“No, theres- Uh, our father used to live down here with us…”

 

“Is he a turtle too?”

 

“No.” Donnie laughed gently. “In fact, he used to be a man, before he was mutated into a rat.”

 

“Casey hates rats!” Shadow giggled.

 

“Tell me about it! You should have seen him the first time he met Splinter!” His moment of laughter turned to silence as he remembered his fallen family.

 

“Splinters not around anymore…”

 

“No. He, uh, didn’t make it out of one of our battles…”

 

Shadow stood up and sat next to Donnie on the couch.

 

“My mom died before I could even properly remember her. I’m glad you and your brothers got the time with your father that you did. You clearly loved him very much.”

 

“You’re surprisingly different from your brother…”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Donnie smiled softly. “Do you have a phone? Now that your part of our group I should get you hooked up to the T-phone network!” He stood quickly making his way towards his lab.

 

“If you wanted my phone number you could have just asked.”

 

Donnie blushed all the way down to his toes. “N-no! I mean, yes! I mean- I just thought it would be good if we were all in contact! Besides your brother would _kill_ me if he thought I…” He poked his index fingers together bashfully as his thought trailed off. “You’re messing with me aren’t you?”

 

“I guess I’m not _that_ different from my brother. But still, cute reaction.” She approached him and handed him her phone. “If you can hook me up with a GPS to track my brother maybe we can even mess with _him_ sometime.”

 

“You have _no_ idea how awesome that sounds.”

**Author's Note:**

> So my inspiration for this comes from the actual show where Casey is electrocuted in "chinatown ghost story" revealing that he has a metal plate in his skull. 
> 
> https://hotmilkytea.tumblr.com/post/96823547999/casey-you-have-a-metal-plate-in-your-skull
> 
> WARNING TO THOSE READING AHEAD: TRIGGER ALLERT! This story will contain child abuse subject matter.


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